We Move Forward 2012 Blog
Life (and Program) ~ Subject to Change
We Move Forward 2012 is a 3-day women’s conference that is about becoming clear on what you want the next chapter of your life to look like regardless of what stage of life you’re in. At the core of the conference is its title ~ We Move Forward ~ which means exactly what is stated – we continue on, we grow and we prosper.
To this end, I designed a 3-day conference experience, with each day beginning with an inspirational story told by a woman who has kept moving forward in her life with intention regardless of the obstacles along the way. So, imagine for a moment that you are organizing a conference and you come to learn over a period a week that each of your featured speakers is unable to attend because of work-related demands. What do you do? First, you feel like throwing-up. Second you tell your nearest and dearest girlfriends. Third, you have a choice – stop what you are doing and call it a day, or move forward and make this imposed change of plans work for you and those whom you have promised a best experience to. I chose to move forward with intention.
I am most pleased to introduce to you three wonderful and inspiring women who will be sharing their inspirational stories with you at We Move Forward 2012:
Monica Parker is an award winning actress and writer who is currently starring in her insightful and funny one woman show, “Sex, Pies & a Few White Lies” – a comedic production based on Parker’s experiences with body-image struggles and family dysfunction. She will be arriving on Isla from Los Angeles – the city she was lured to in the 1970s to write for The Helen Reddy Show and An Evening at the Improv. Since then, Monica’s career in writing and acting in television and film has flourished. The moral of her story: Tall, short, fat, thin — no matter what our outside package, it’s more than good enough, says Monica. It’s perfect. Monica will speak to creating an authentic path forward in a business where “beauty and image” breeds superficiality. Her messages about inward and outward pressures to be ‘perfect’ are sure to resonate with all women.
Judith Jenya has worked as an attorney, art teacher, psychotherapist, art therapist, activist and artist. She has graduate degrees from the University of California – Berkeley, Harvard and the University of Hawaii. In her 50’s, Judith created the Global Children’s Organization (GCO), which nurtures children and youth traumatized by intolerance, terrorism, or war to regain hope for the future and prepare to be active participants in building a more peaceful world. Her work with GCO has received many awards including the “International Humanist of the Year—2002.” She has been featured in the magazines Biography, TIME, Modern Maturity and People, and she has been a guest on ABC, CBS, NBC, The Today Show and CNN. A documentary of her work with the GCO was nominated for an Academy Award. Judith supports people in turning their visions into reality. She helps them gain focus and make commitments, believe in themselves and their mission. She will inspire you and help you define your own “true north” for this moment in your journey – and as you move forward into your future.
Kristin Crowe had just completed her first full marathon in Long Beach, California, when she received a devastating diagnosis of breast cancer. Relying on the love of her two sons, and tapping into a staggering amount of courage, and passion for life, Kristin not only successfully fought her battle with cancer, but also raised thousands of dollars in the fight against it. Joining world famous cyclist Lance Armstrong and 45 other cyclists, Kristin took the ride of her life as she pushed her barely recovered body up, over and around North America’s Rocky Mountains. A motivational speaker, President of two successful businesses, and community builder, Kristin will share with us her truly inspiring story of love, courage, healing, and moving forward in the face of great uncertainty.
As these women’s personal stories and the story of We Move Forward remind us – life is subject to change – sometimes without much or no notice at all. And, it is how we respond to those changes that determines our future.
Making a Difference in Another Woman’s Life: Meet Maru Gonzalez
The women attending We Move Forward 2012 are making a difference in the lives of local women – for every 15 registrants one local woman is sponsored to attend at no cost. Please meet Maru Gonzalez, a therapist at ‘The Little Yellow Schoolhouse’, known on Isla as “Amor a la Ninez.”
The Schoolhouse is the only learning center on Isla Mujeres for children with special needs. It is funded entirely by donations, and children’s admission is free. With the help of dedicated volunteers who host the ‘Island Time Fishing Tournament’ fundraiser each year, the school has grown in size and expanded its capacity to support more children to learn life skills, academics, and socialize with friends. Each child’s therapy is individualized, to meet their physical, psychological, and communication needs. See: http://www.littleyellowschoolhouse.org.
Maru is passionate about her work as a therapist and looks forward to sharing information about the school with other women attending We Move Forward 2012. We look forward to seeing you in March Maru!
Register now for We Move Forward 2012 and together we will make a difference in the lives of more women like Maru.
Go to: www.wemoveforward2012.com!
Being In Circle
I believe the greatest gift I can conceive of having from anyone is to be seen by them, to be understood and touched by them. The greatest gift I can give is to see, hear, understand and touch another person. When this is done I feel a contact has been made ~ Virginia Satir
I have facilitated numerous circles over the years and continue to be inspired by the genuine stories that emerge when we slow down enough to be truly present with each other. This conference session builds on our ancestral practice of gathering in circle. In the circle we create a space where everyone has equal value, where each voice can be respectfully heard and where we share a common intention for the good of the group. This activity involves women sharing a meaningful glimpse of their own story in a small group. In these story circles we will have an opportunity to experience the collective wisdom of each story group while we celebrate a community of thoughtful, strong, diverse and caring women.
I will present guiding principles of circle practice that I have incorporated into my professional consulting practice in leadership development.
An important item to bring to our WMF Conference
During the “Being in Circle” session on the afternoon of March 8th I will invite you to share stories in small groups. To give you some time to consider deep and meaningful moments in your life, here are some possible thought-starters for your reflections:
- A pivotal moment in your life – it could be a moment of profound joy, maybe sadness, a time of deep personal learning, significant change and transition, powerful connection with nature or any other pivotal moment
- A story of women’s courage – either of yourself or of someone who truly inspired you in some way at any time of your life
These reflections will hopefully remind you of a meaningful moment or time in your life/work journey.
It is also VERY important that you bring along with you an object or artefact that best represents your story so you can describe and show the artefact while you are sharing your story in your small circle group.
This artefact can be anything – a photo, a poem, a special gift, a memento of that time in your life, an object or anything else you choose that reminds you of your personal story. Remember, everyone’s object will be different and personal and special and I encourage you to celebrate your uniqueness and be proud of your own story.
By the way, it is not necessary to memorize your story ahead of time as it will unfold “in the moment” while in the presence of others.
I am very excited to be meeting all of you!
Namaste,
Cathy McKenzie – WMF Facilitator
Meet Mellissa Fung, field correspondent CBC News, and author “Under an Afghan Sky.”
There I sat on the curb waiting for the San Juan Islands ferry to dock. I closed the book and wiped the tears off my cheeks. “Are you okay mame” , asked the ground crew. “These are happy tears” I replied. And they were. I was happy that Mellissa Fung was alive, and that she had chosen to write her story. Some books are hard to put down because they keep you guessing – who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. In Under an Afghan Sky it is clear who the good woman is and it is clear who the bad guys are, but confusion seeps in when the good woman befriends one of the bad guys, and goes so far as to forgive the group of them.
An excerpt from Under an Afghan Sky:
Khalid: “You do not hate me, okay?” Mellissa: “Hate you?” Khalid: “Do not hate us. Ok?” Mellissa: “Why would I hate you? I don’t hate you, Khalid. You do what you do…” “I’m not angry. I forgive you.” “You don’t hate me? he asked again. “No. I forgive you,” I told him.
“I’d forgiven him a long time ago, almost from the first week. My kidnappers were just a gang of simple thieves, trying to survive the only way they know how, caught between the Taliban and the police. It is not right what they did by any means, but it would not do me any good to hold a grudge or to be angry, or forever resentful of what they had done to me.”
The sentiment of Mellissa’s words touched my soul. Here is a woman who endured 28 days living in a hole in the ground with her captors in the hills of Afghanistan, and she finds it within herself to see the world from their place in it.
Mellissa Fung was the first person that I approached about speaking at We Move Forward 2012. Here is Mellissa’s response to my request:
“Thank you for your invitation – I’m not the best public speaker in the world (it’s much easier just talking to a camera), but I’ve learned a lot since I started talking about the book. My message is to remind people about the women I left behind at the refugee camp in Kabul and in other areas of Afghanistan. A woman who accuses a man of sexual assault is jailed for adultery. Women who run away from abusive men are charged with abandoning their husbands. It’s why I decided I couldn’t leave out the hardest part of my story. I’m free to talk about it. And they are not, so I need to try to keep telling their stories.
If that’s a message you think you would like to hear, then I’d be honoured to come and talk about it. I donate most of my fee to the foundation in Afghanistan I’ve been working with (www.ayendafoundation.org). The royalties from my book will be going to help fund a computer lab in a school in Bamiyan province for women and children.
I let Mellissa know that yes, hers is a message that we would like to hear. Women attending We Move Forward 2012 will have the opportunity to meet Mellissa and hear her story on Day 2 of the conference.
See you soon Mellissa. Hasta pronto.
Chapter Five ~ The We Move Forward Story
Your mind drifts as you hear the rhythmic murmur of the waves on the beach and you look out over the tranquil Caribbean.
Sounds from inside draw your attention back to the buzz of many new friends talking, laughing and waiting for ceremony and the closing dinner.
Katie is making her way around the palapa bar and asking everyone to take their drinks and make their way to the beach. Now there is a young woman with a bright future, says Ann Marie. All of you nod your heads in agreement.
The theme of the evening is ‘Wear White on Our Last Night’. White reflects what is sacred, and worthy of spiritual respect. These past three days have touched your spirit.
It is time for the closing ceremony. The facilitators come walking onto the beach carrying a box. You wonder what’s inside. Christie reaches in …
The ceremony is coming to a close, and you watch the sun fade across the bay over Cancun and slip from view. La repuesta del sol! Diana from the Avalon stands at the entrance of the restaurant waving and invites everyone in for dinner.
And it is then that you realize that with every ending there is a new beginning.
About the Author:
Janeen Halliwell wrote a list of things she wanted to do in this lifetime back in the year 2000. She has accomplished many of them with some revisions along the way – change is encouraged. Writing a book is still on her list, and she had so much fun writing The We Move Forward Story that she might just give it a try. After-all, trying happens before accomplishing. It’s about proceeding, not perfection.
Chapter Six ~ The We Move Forward Story
The next chapter, and the one after that, and the one after that… they belong to you. You are the author of your life story. Believe. Create. Enjoy.
Know well what leads you forward and holds you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom. - Buddha
Chapter 4 ~ The We Move Forward Story
Did I really stay up that late, you ask yourself? It feels good to feel kind of bad. When was the last time you felt as care-free and in-the-moment as last night? The Latin music, the dancing, the fiesta in the square. Viva Mexico!
Okay – out of bed, take a Tylenol and get self to Fluid Motion class with Kim.
Healthy. Re-charged. “Thank you Kim for the great class.” “Carry it forward”, she says with a warm smile. Time for a quick shower and wardrobe change.
Your heart is in your throat. There he stands with a machete in his hand. Do you walk around him or do you turn and go the other way? He is smiling at you, and saying “Buen dia.” He starts trimming the hedge. Geez. All the news about violence in Mexico has had an impact on you. You breath out, give your head a shake and keep moving forward.
Nopal cactus juice tastes a bit like it looks – sweet and sour. They say it regulates cholesterol levels and inflammation of the liver. After last night, many of the women are giving it a try over breakfast.
This morning’s speaker walks in and sets her eggplant coloured bag on the ground. She makes eye contact with you; you both smile.
Inspired – yes. Clear on your personal vision, and ready to take action – almost.
Here comes Cathy and Ed McKenzie. You wonder how Cathy is feeling today after celebrating her 60th birthday at la fiesta last night. She seems as spunky as ever. Their session is called “Open Space Dialogue”, and Ed is explaining that “it is a process that will allow you, the members of the group, to choose what you would like to talk about. Open Space will give you the opportunity to propose dialogue topics that reflect your personal hopes, fears and passions. Once the topics are chosen, you will self-organize into smaller groups to explore the topics to which you are drawn.”
You find a seat within the group of women who want to explore the topic of ‘fear’. The fear of failure, embarrassment and disappointment are raised. You are liking ‘Open Space’ – it has the energy of a good coffee break, and yet you are feeling a bit fearful of speaking up. From the back of your brain you hear Alanis Morissette singing “Isn’t it Ironic.”
You step over your shyness and share that your fear is that your tendency to get side-tracked and procrastinate will get in the way of you manifesting your dreams – time is ticking. “But you are here aren’t you. Just by being here you are moving forward,” offers your new friend, Bev. And this is the sentiment throughout Christie’s session ‘Stepping into the future.’ It is not the length of the step that is important – it is the direction that matters.
Bev, Andrea, Kristen, and Ann Marie are sitting at the Palapa Bar with what looks like pina coladas. “Una pina colada por favor”. Your Spanish is coming along very well.
Tonight is the closing ceremony and while all of you are anticipating another great evening, you don’t want to think about the implications of ‘closing.’ Time is ticking.
Chapter 3 ~ The We Move Forward Story…
You open your eyes and for a fleeting moment you forget where you are. Then you hear in the distance: “Por Esto! Por Esto!” Ah yes, you are on Isla Mujeres, and its day two of the We Move Forward conference. You jump out of bed and look out the window to see who is hollering. It’s a man on a 3-wheeled delivery tri-cycle that holds stacks of newspapers. Por Esto must be the name of the local newspaper you muse.
Today is a pretty active day, so you pull on your yoga pants, suck in your stomach and get on your way.
The group walk along the seaside malecon is a beautiful and energizing way to start the day. You’re looking forward to the drive to South Point after breakfast.
La historiadora, Mary Coba Cupul, is addressing the crowd – sharing stories of the Maya, the Goddess Ix Chel and the significance of 2012. Directly behind her sits the Temple of the Goddess Ix Chel. Mary recites a Mayan prayer: “Ix Chel, thank you for joining me today. I honor your fertile nature and offer you a token of my appreciation. I am in awe of your fierce and magnificent power. You are the Goddess of new life and protector of women and children. Bless me with abundance in my body, mind and spirit. May I be prosperous in all areas of my life. Protect and bless my projects while they begin to manifest.” This is the most authentic history lesson you have ever experienced. This is going in my journal you think to yourself.
A Mindful Meditation led by the Movement Team is ‘moving’ in more ways than one. Now it is time to return to the Avalon.
Incredible. You can’t believe she made it out okay – out of a hole in the ground where she spent 28 days with her captors. And, she continues to work as an international journalist. She continues to move forward. At the end of her talk, you get to meet Mellissa Fung and she graciously shakes your hand and seems as happy to meet you as you are her.
The actress, the journalist, the historian, the other women you have met here – what messages are you hearing in their words. What resonates with you? If you were standing at the front of the room and telling your story, what would you want to be saying? What is ‘your best you’? Christie guides the group through this exercise. Some of your answers surprise you.
In comes Janeen with a bucket of shells. She places them in the center of the floor. Where is this exercise heading, you wonder? 30 minutes later you place your shell in your bag, but not before reading what you wrote on it one more time.
It’s time to get physical. What shall it be? Yoga or Batuka? Yoga it is – followed by a siesta.
They said to be at La Luna for 7:30 pm so the four of you finish your dinner and ask for the check, “la cuenta por favor”, and agree to pick-up this conversation over breakfast tomorrow.
Lorna introduces her documentary. You’re not sure what to expect. The film begins. You are moved. She is a trooper – no pun intended.
“Bienvenido a la fiesta de las mujeres en la Isla mujeres. Juntos celebramos el dia International de la Mujer! Welcome to the party for women on the Island of Women! Together we celebrate International Women’s Day! And the fiesta in the square begins with the town’s women their family and friends. Saludos! Cheers!
Chapter Two ~ The We Move Forward 2012 Story
March 7, the day before the conference begins. The email you received a few days ago said “come, register and enjoy a warm welcome & a cool drink at CoMoNo Restaurant between 3 and 5 pm.” Might as well.
You see the We Move Forward 2012 logo, and make your way up the CoMoNo stairway to Arriba Lounge. Umberto, the manager, hands you a blended mojito, and Harriet and Gladys give you your name tag and a conference bag full of goodies. So far so good.
March 8th. The sun rises at 6:23 but you’ve been up since 6. The anticipation of a good day has always had this effect on you. You feel a tad embarrassed about your excitement – I mean really, you are a woman well into middle-age for goodness sake. You realize this is your ego talking and tell it to take a hike. On goes your tropical sun dress and spf 30. Today is the first day of We Move Forward 2012 and to be excited is to be alive!
As you walk over the bridge to the Avalon Hotel you realize that you are surrounded by turquoise water. You pause to watch a mother teaching her young daughter how to swim. The little girl moves forward, one little stroke at a time. Hmm.
You wipe the crumb from the corner of your mouth, and down the last bit of your breakfast with fresh squeezed orange juice. You understand why ‘Barlito’ is Numero Uno on Trip Advisor.
As you settle into your seat in the conference room you get that surreal feeling – I’m now in the building on the beach, the one in the photo I’ve been carrying around with me for weeks. Weird. Wonderful. You reach into your bag and pull out your ‘Note to Self’; the document that was sent to you when you registered. Christie is explaining the meaning behind the questions and how they will guide you along the We Move Forward experience. Okay, you’re beginning to understand.
The woman next to you whispers “what time is it?” and you can’t believe it’s almost noon. Time flies when you’re being inspired. The authors and the actress are everyday women just like you, and their talks have you thinking that if they can live their dreams then so can you.
At lunch there is speculation about the afternoon session “Gathering in Circle”, and some of the guesses end up being close to the truth. Cathy explains that gathering in circle builds on the ancestral practice of creating a space where everyone has equal value and where each voice is heard. You find yourself absorbed in the sharing of stories within a small group. Cathy was right, within these story circles you and the other women experience the collective wisdom generated through the stories, and begin to feel part of a community of thoughtful, strong, diverse and caring women.
More inspiration in the afternoon is followed by a Connection Session and Happy Hour at La Luna – a funky open air restaurant in town. How amazing it is ‘to belong’ to a group, a community, of women who have come together because they care about being the best they can be in this lifetime. You are glad you made the decision to come.
Chapter One ~ The We Move Forward Story…
You step off the airplane with butterflies in your belly and a spring of anticipation in your step. On one hand, you are grateful to have landed safely in Cancun, but on the other, you just want to get to Isla Mujeres. That is why you are here in Mexico–to attend We Move Forward 2012, an International Women’s Day conference happening on Isla Mujeres, the Island of Women. Whoever came up with that idea deserves credit for conjuring up the obvious, you think to yourself, but if it were so obvious – why is this only the first? Most likely, because it’s the year 2012. For as the conference theme says: 2012 is a time for “new beginnings”. You look around and wonder if any of the other women travelers in the airport are going to Isla too. The woman nearby carrying the eggplant coloured bag looks like a potential.
After making your way through immigration & customs, you find your shuttle service ready and waiting for you outside the airport. You hand the man your bags, get in and sit back to enjoy the 20-minute ride to Puerto Juarez. After buying your ferry ticket, you feel you must hustle if you are going to catch the ferry that is leaving any minute for Isla. The woman at the ticket stand picks up on this and says reassuringly, “Don’t worry, they go every 30 minutes.” You run for it anyway, and make it onboard with several minutes to spare before they untie the lines. There are a lot of seats to choose from.
The boat slides out of the dock and you sit up for a better look, slowly pulling your sunglasses away from your eyes. Wow! The colour of the water is far more magnificent than the pictures capture! The gentle waves are turquoise – more turquoise than the earrings you put on this morning to get into the spirit of things. You notice that the air is humid, but not in a suffocating way, just enough to make your skin feel soft after the harsh winter air up North and the dry recycled air on the plane.
And suddenly, there it is: Isla Mujeres. It looks a bit bigger than you thought, but then again, 13,000 people live there. Looking around on the ferry you notice it’s a fairly even blend of Mexicans and tourists going to Isla. You wonder for a fleeting moment what it would be like to be Mexican and for this to be ‘home.’ Your next thought is about the ferry –it’s more modern than you had expected. Sitting back, you realize you are smiling. The ride goes by quickly and smoothly.
Now, if you can just find your way to your hotel. Feelings of anticipation, mixed with just a few pinpricks of anxiety, kick in. You pull out the map that you printed off of the internet and reassure yourself that as long as you can walk in a straight line and know left from right, you’ll be alright.
Seven minutes later, you’ve found your way. You’re already at the hotel front desk, where the English-speaking woman smiles and says, “Welcome. We’ve been expecting you.”
That was way too easy. Your anxiety evaporates like a puddle in the sun after a tropical shower.
I’m on Isla Mujeres, you think. And you smile.
Alison Sawyer Current
Who is Alison Sawyer Current? If you asked Alison, she’d tell you she is a Potter. But there is far more to Alison than being a renowned potter. Women attending We Move Forward 2012 will get up close and personal with Alison, but for now, here is a closer glimpse of Alison.
Alison is a woman who has a passion for animals – dogs in particular. From her home on Isla Mujeres, Mexico, she operates ‘Isla Animals’ and to date has rescued over 5000 dogs. Most animals are spayed, neutered, given medical attention and adopted out to good homes. Alison has also been spearheading large teaching clinics where local veterinarians are taught how to perform low cost, safe, high volume operations – up to 800 animals are spayed and neutered in five days. Fittingly, Alison received The Doris Day Animal Kindred Spirit Award in 2005, and in 2007 she was invited to Mexico City for the first Forum on Small Animal Overpopulation in Mexico.
Alison is also an author of the novel “No Urn for the Ashes”, published in June of 2008. This intriguing mystery involves a potentially world changing invention, murder, family duress and intrigue as well as many twists and turns to keep the reader interested.
Alison and her cause to protect and save her much beloved dogs was recently the subject of a movie titled “Last In Line” – it is in line to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
Alison’s pottery has been featured on the Home and Garden Television Artists Series and displayed at the Royal Ontario Museum. She has a pottery studio at her home in Isla Mujeres.
Alison accomplishes all of these things with a significant helping of humour, a fierce determination to make right the wrongs she sees and which she cares about deeply, and with her husband Jeff at her side lending a helping hand – always.
Alison and Jeff welcome visitors into their home daily to spend time with the puppies & dogs, sometimes numbering into the 40s. There are always dogs to walk or a puppy to feed. Women attending ‘We Move Forward 2012’ are encouraged to stop by Jeff and Alison’s, just a stroll away from the Avalon Reef Hotel where the conference is being held.
Alison will be sharing her story on the morning of Day 1 (March 8th) of We Move Forward!
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